President rejects government’s call to sack Kovesi

President Klaus Iohannis has rejected the Justice Ministers request to remove the anticorruption chief prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi from office.

Bogdan Matei, 17.04.2018, 13:30

Foreseen by most commentators and unanimously hailed by his supporters, President Klaus Iohannis on Monday rejected the call to dismiss the head of the National Anticorruption Directorate, Laura Codruta Kovesi.

Launched in February by Justice Minister Tudorel Toader, who accused Kovesi of seriously overstepping the bounds of her authority, the bid got a negative opinion from the Superior Council of Magistracy, something, which made the president’s decision highly predictable. Klaus Iohannis said his decision took the Council’s opinion under advisement, as well as the inconsistency of Minister Toader’s accusations.

Klaus Iohannis: “Some of the reasons underlying the bid to sack Kovesi employ data and information that are either irrelevant, or exceed the period of the examination in question. The Justice Minister interpreted and construed some of the reports of the Judicial Inspection Corps, rulings of the Superior Council of Magistracy or the Constitutional Court in a very different context”.

The former president of the Constitutional Court, Augustin Zegrean, welcomed the president’s call, which he tried to explain.

Augustin Zegrean: “It’s the right call, because the dismissal procedure is the following: the Justice Minister makes his proposal, the Superior Council of Magistracy issues an opinion, positive or negative, then the president decides. The Minister made his proposal, and the Council, which warrants the independence of the country’s judiciary, voted a unanimous ‘no’, so what was the president supposed to do? I honestly believe the issue of the dismissal ended when the president presented his decision”.

Himself a former Constitutional Court judge, Minister Toader disagrees. Right after the president announced his decision, Toader said on Facebook he will refer the president’s refusal to the Constitutional Court. The President, Toader argues, doesn’t have the legal competence to evaluate the professional and managerial activity of the chief prosecutor. In turn, the ruling coalition strongman, Social-Democrat leader Liviu Dragnea, promised Toader the full support of his party and of Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, should he decide to challenge the president’s decision.

Liviu Dragnea: “Madam Prime Minister told me she fully supports Minister Toader and we do too. Depending on what the president will announce, should Minister Toader decide to make a move, both the Prime Minister and the party will stand by him”.

Conversely, the opposition Liberals have hailed the president’s call, dismissing the minister’s accusations as ridiculous. The Save Romania Union also said the president’s choice to reject the call was the normal line of action, especially against the backdrop of what it has called an all-out assault on the justice system, launched by the ruling coalition in Romania.